Messier 52 (upper left) is a large open cluster located in Cassiopeia 35 arcminutes away from NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula (lower right).

With an overall brightness of magnitude 6.9, M52 contains 200 stars, the brightest of which is magnitude 7.7. It has an apparent diameter of 16 arcminutes which corresponds to a real size of 25 light-years in space at an estimated distance of 5,000 light-years.

M52 is believed to be 35 million years old. It was discovered by Charles Messier on September 7, 1774.

North is to the top in the above image.

Messier 52 Catalogs: M52, NGC 7654 Common Name: Salt-and-Pepper Cluster Object Type: Open Cluster Magnitude: 6.9v Size: 16' Constellation: Cassiopeia Image Field Centered At: RA: 23h 22m 28s Dec: +61° 16' 27"